Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The complex has temples of various Gods including Veerabhadra temple, Someshwara temple, Trimurthi temple, Sahasralinga temple and Santhinatha Basadi. There are around 30 inscriptions written in old Kannada and Sanskrit which has seen mighty rulers like Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Kalachurias, Hoysalas, Yadavas and Vijaynagar Empire. Each of the temples have different carvings and stories to tell about their era and its rulers. This place was a prosperous region in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Bandalike or Bandanike of the inscriptions was an important town of Nagarakhanda-70. It was a well known centre of Jainism and Kalamukha sect. The importance of the place is well attested by the Monolithic records of the Rashtrakutas (Circa seventh-eighth century A.D.), Kalyani Chalukyas (Circa eleventh-tweth century A.D.), Kalachuris, Hoysalas (Circa twelth century A.D.), Seunas (Circa thirteenth century A.D.) and Vijayanagara (Circa fifteenth-sixteenth century A.D.). It was a prosperous centre in the eleventh and twelth centuries during the period of the Chalukyas of Kalyana. Known in the inscription as Pandalika or Bandanike, the place was the city of Khanda-I, the center of Jainism and the Shaivism of Jainism. Many inscriptions confirm that the city was also a major city during the Rashtrakuta, Kalyana, Chalukya, Kalachuriya, Hoysala, Sevana and Vijayanagara periods from the 2nd to the 12th century.

Trimurthinarayana Temple - The superstructures over the garbhagrihas has the typical tritala arpita carrying a square sikhara divide of finials and a prominent sukhanasa projection.The closest temple to the entrance is the resurrected triple-celled Trimurthi Narayana Gudi which is known for its symmetry. Though the interiors aren’t very spacious, but the artworks will surely make you appreciate the artisans who built this complex. This is a Trikutachala (triple-celled) temple of the Kalyana Chalukyan period. The supers structure on the northern and southern shrines are intact and the western one has collapsed. Known for its elegance and symmetry, this temple in east west orientation has Siva-linga in the western and southern cells and the northern cell has a sculpture of Vishnu. All the three cells have vestibules with ornamental doorways flanked by niches. The western cell has well sculptured Simhalata of its Antarala doorway. The elevation of the temple is austere. The wall is relieved by niches surmounted by turret and sierfder pilasters. The superstructures over the Garbhagrihas are typical Tritala Vesara Sikhara featured with a square Stupi.  

Trimurthinarayana Temple Port -  It is a triangular shrine and has three adjoining chambers. The peaks of the northern and southern garbhagriha of the temple belong to the Kalyana Chalukyan period and the western peak is ruined. Known for its exquisite construction, the east-west shrine has a Shiva lingam in the western and southern chambers and an idol of Lord Vishnu in the north. All the chambers have their own inner, ornate doorway and have the deities. The lion is located in the Lalata side of the western inner gate The exterior of the temple is simple and decorated with pinnacles. The umbilical cavities are in the shape of a tricolor and are decorated with a square stupa in Shikaragra.

Somesvara Temple - Also known as Anekalsomeyya and Boppesvara temple, Constructed in the Chalukyan style, the Someshwara temple has beautiful screens depicting the Ramayana and Mahabharata like Ram Sita wedding, her abduction, Pandavas and Kauravas game of dice scene etc. This is an austere temple with a Garbhagriha, Antarala, and a pillared Mandapa with a porch in east-west orientation. The entrance doorway is ornate with as many as four door jambs which at the base has well sculptured Dwarapalas and apsara figures. The jambs are of ornate variety with creeper decorations. The lintle at the center has Gajalakshmi. On either side of the door are artistically sculptured, perforated screens which alternating with narrative friezes depicting episodes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The sanctum is bereft of any images. Inside the Mahamandapa are six niches, two flanking the Antarala and three each in the northern and south walls of the Mandapa, the central one being larger.

Someshwara Temple Port - The temple is typical of the temple, with its facade, chambers, columns and facade. The east gate has four branches and is decorated with flowerbeds. There is no idol in the sanctum sanctorum, with beautifully carved doorways and nymphs on the doorway. The Lalatumba has the image of Gajalakshmi. The Jalandra windows on either side of the doorway contain depicting images of Ramayana and Mahabharata stories. There are six devotees in the mandapa.

Shantinatha Basadi / Jain Temple - Shantinatha basdi has a mukha mandapa which consists of 32 pillars, an antarala and mahamandapa consists of 4 pillars. The Mukhamanadapa in its southern wall has the Devakoshthas on either side of the Sukhanasi doorway which is also provided with perforated Jalandras. Fluted pillars on the outside are similar to pillars of Bankapur's Nagaresvaraudi and haveri's Purasiddeshwara. On the temple walls slender girls dancing and playing a drum. Few of the inside pillars have inscriptions and matrices, both rectangular and circular. The matrices- each cell has one letter. Inscriptions are seen on the pillars of the temples. The inscriptions say that this Basadi received endowments by Jakkiyabbe who was ruling Bandalike in 912 A.D. Hence the temple is very old one.

There are also some incomplete temples which will give you a glimpse of how the temples were designed and constructed at various stages during that time. The Veerabhadra temple, an avatar of Lord Shiva belongs to Hoysala heritage with weapons and shields embellished. The Sahasralinga temple was constructed by Macchayya Dannayaka in 1063 A.D. and is dedicated to Lord Shiv with a huge linga. There are hero stones depicting various battle scenes showing swords, spears, arrows and shields carved and dug into the ground.